Pensioner avoids jail after pleading guilty to threat to kill

A Limerick pensioner who threatened a taxi driver at knife-point while intoxicated in a dispute over a fare has avoided jail.

68 year-old William McNamara, with an address at Smith O’Brien Avenue, Kileely has pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill and producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury in the city centre shortly after midnight on November 22nd, 2016.

Live 95's Alan Morrissey reports...

Gardaí found William McNamara highly intoxicated and in possession of a Stanley knife shortly after the taxi driver reported that he'd been threatened at knife-point in a dispute over a fare.
The driver stopped the taxi and ran from it after the knife was pulled out.
The defendant told gardaí he had been drinking since 9am and couldn't remember the incident and that he had the knife for his own protection.
Limerick Circuit Court heard in 2010 the taxi driver, originally from Sierra Leone, had previously been forced into the boot of his taxi, which was driven to a rural location in Co. Limerick.
The court was also told Mr McNamara has issues with alcohol, but the incident was a "total aberration" and "out of character" and he felt guilt and was remorseful at all times.
Judge Tom O'Donnell said it was a very frightening incident for the taxi driver, who was a "bad candidate, given his previous experience".
He imposed a two year suspended prison sentence on each count.